Ben graduated as a veterinarian from James Cook University winning numerous academic awards during the degree. Since this time at university, Ben’s interest in ophthalmology saw him undertake externships to veterinary ophthalmology centres across Australia, the UK and the USA. Ben was fortunate enough to win an international scholarship in 2018 to allow him to undertake advanced ophthalmology training at North Carolina State University while working as a rotating intern at one of Brisbane’s largest specialist veterinary hospitals.
Ben joined the Eye Clinic for Animals as an ophthalmology intern in January 2019, and completed his ophthalmology residency in 2022. In this time, Ben underwent further training via an externship at the University of California, Davis. Ben has a passion for all aspects of ophthalmic medicine and surgery. Ben has also been assisting in teaching students at the University of Sydney their ophthalmology practicals and tutorials.
Ben is one of the registrars at Eye Clinic for Animals, and is preparing to sit examinations to be recognized as a veterinary ophthalmology specialist.
Publications:
– Retrospective assessment of ophthalmic disease development in domestic dogs and cats when hospitalised with tick paralysis caused by Ixodes holocyclus. Australian Veterinary Journal. 2024
– Free labial mucocutaneous graft for eyelid reconstruction in four dogs. Veterinary Ophthalmology. 2024
– Feline distichiasis treated with cryoepilation: A retrospective study of 15 cats (27 eyes). Veterinary Ophthalmology. 2024
– Ophthalmic findings associated with Australian tick paralysis (holocyclotoxicity) in hospitalized domestic dogs and cats. Veterinary Ophthalmology. 2024
– Superficial keratectomy for the treatment of spontaneous chronic corneal epithelial defects in dogs. Veterinary Ophthalmology. 2024
– An investigation into the development of qualitative tear film disorders in dogs following cryoepilation for distichiasis. Veterinary Ophthalmology. 2022
– Textbook chapter: “Ophthalmology of Marsupials” and “Ophthalmology of Monotremes”. Wild and Exotic Animal Ophthalmology. 2022
– Use of subdermal hyaluronic acid injections and a free labial mucocutaneous graft for the repair of feline eyelid agenesis. Veterinary Ophthalmology. 2021
– Use of a chronic soft tissue expansion device to facilitate blepharoplasty in a horse with lower-lid cicatricial ectropion with a 14-year follow-up. Veterinary Ophthalmology. 2020
– Progressive visual loss and severe retinal degeneration in a captive Kodiak bear (Ursus arctos mettendorfi). Vet Record. 2020
– Surgical approach to a nasolacrimal duct atresia in a German Shepherd Puppy. Australian Veterinary Practitioner. 2020
– Microsporidial stromal keratitis in a cat. Medical Mycology Case Reports. 2020
– Retinal cone photoreceptor distribution of the American Black Bear (Ursus americanus). The Anatomical Record. 2020
– Patient and tumour factors influencing canine mast cell tumour histological grade and mitotic index. Veterinary and Comparative Oncology. 2019
Presentations:
– Ophthalmic pathologies associated with Australian tick paralysis (holocyclotoxicity) in domestic dogs and cats. American College of Veterinary Ophthalmology Conference. 2022
– An investigation in to the development of qualitative tear film disorders in dogs following cryoepilation for treating distichiasis. American College of Veterinary Ophthalmology Conference. 2021
– Using optical coherence tomography to determine anterior segment morphology and morphometry in selected Australian reptile species. American College of Veterinary Ophthalmology Conference. 2020
– A review of qualitative and quantitative tear film disorders in dogs. Australian Veterinary Association VetFest Conference. 2020
– Advanced Tear Film Analysis: establishing normative data for canine ocular surface analysis diagnostic tests. Australian College of Veterinary Sciences’ Science Week Conference. 2019
– Infectious keratitis in horses of North Queensland: ex vivo susceptibility patterns for fungal and bacterial species. Australian College of Veterinary Sciences’ Science Week Conference. 2018